1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems, methods and devices for evaluation of various aspects of network traffic and network systems and devices. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention concern systems, methods and devices for monitoring and evaluating various aspects of network systems and associated traffic, as well as for testing and evaluating various aspects of the network system.
2. Related Technology
Computer and data communications networks continue to proliferate due to declining costs, increasing performance of computer and networking equipment, and increasing demand for communication bandwidth. Communications networks—including wide area networks (“WANs”) and local area networks (“LANs”), Metropolitan area networks (“MAN”), and storage area networks (“SANs”) allow increased productivity and utilization of distributed computers or stations through the sharing of resources, the transfer of voice and data, and the processing of voice, data and related information at the most efficient locations.
Moreover, as organizations have recognized the economic benefits of using communications networks, network applications such as electronic mail, voice and data transfer, host access, and shared and distributed databases are increasingly used as a means to increase user productivity. This increased demand, together with the growing number of distributed computing resources, has resulted in a rapid expansion in the number of installed networks.
As the demand for networks has grown, network technology has developed to the point that many different physical configurations presently exist. Examples include Gigabit Ethernet (“GE”), 10 GE (also sometimes referred to as “XGig”), Fiber Distributed Data Interface (“FDDI”), Fibre Channel (“FC”), Synchronous Optical Network (“SONET”) and InfiniBand networks. These networks, and others, typically conform to one of a variety of established standards, or protocols, which set forth rules that govern network access as well as communications between and among the network resources. Typically, such networks utilize different cabling systems and hardware, have different characteristic bandwidths, and transmit data at different speeds, or rates. Network bandwidth, in particular, has been the driving consideration behind many advancements in the area of high speed communication systems, methods and devices.
For example, the ever-increasing demand for network bandwidth has resulted in the development of technology that increases the amount of data that can be pushed through a single channel on a network. Advancements in modulation techniques, coding algorithms and error correction have vastly increased the rates at which data can be transmitted across networks. For example, it was the case at one time that the highest rate that data could travel across a network was at about one Gigabit per second. That rate subsequently increased to the point where data could travel across Ethernet and SONET networks at rates as high as 10 gigabits per second, or faster.
As communication networks have increased in size, speed and complexity however, they have become increasingly likely to develop a variety of problems that, in practice, have proven difficult to diagnose and resolve. Such problems are of particular concern in light of the continuing demands for high levels of network operational reliability and for increased network capacity.
The problems experienced in network communication systems can take a variety of forms and may occur as a result of a variety of different circumstances. Examples of circumstances, conditions and events that may give rise to network communication problems include word errors, data and frame errors, improper network configuration and superfluous network traffic, loss of link, corruption of network traffic by network systems and devices, loss of data signal, and loss of synchronization, to name just a few.
Such problems are aggravated by the fact that networks are continually changing and evolving due to growth, reconfiguration and introduction of new network typologies and protocols. Moreover, new network interconnection devices and software applications are constantly being introduced and implemented. Circumstances such as these highlight the need for effective, reliable and flexible diagnostic and remedial systems, methods and devices.
Consequently, as high speed data communications systems, processes and devices mature, many designs have increasingly focused on reliability and performance issues. One area of interest concerns the monitoring of network traffic, as well as the performance of associated network devices. Another area of interest concerns the testing of network systems and devices.
In view of the foregoing, it would be useful to provide a traffic checker suitable for use in monitoring various hardware and protocol-specific parameters. The traffic checker should also monitor network traffic density, and report on any low level errors. Further, the traffic checker should be able to perform various testing evolutions that can be used to evaluate aspects such as the performance and integrity of network components. Finally, the traffic checker should be sufficiently rugged and reliable to be suitable for field use.